#did you know florist had longer lifespan?

[papirouge]

"prostitution is the world oldest prof-"

WRONG. Zookeeping is the world oldest profession. God created Adam and Eve and gave them the mission to protect nature and animals.

Zookeepers and gardenists are the closest to what God intended for humankind 🤠🌷🌸🌺🌻🌼🪷🐿️🦬🐬🦋🐞

[knives-out20]

Meeting The Parents - Erik Lehnsherr x Male!OC

Fandom: X-Men

Pairing: Karmel Rosenstein (OC) x Erik Lehnsherr

Warnings: Swearing, Fluffy ig, Sad Karmel, Karmel crying, Talking to the dead, 

Notes: Had this idea bouncing around my head all day like a DVD screensaver. Enjoy!

Karmel and Erik stood at the front gates of a cemetery, wearing dark clothes. He adjusted the tie he wore, one that was his dad’s favourite. “You- You sure you wanna come in? You don’t need to, Erik, sometimes I start talkin’ to ‘em and, uh, it’s kinda weird, I wouldn’t wanna weird you out.”

Erik looked up, reading the cemetery name. “It’s fine, Karmel. Trust me, love...Kinda convenient, right? How this cemetery is the closest to your house?”

Karmel shrugged. “I had a whole temper tantrum over it being this exact one. That way, they’d always be...close by, y’know? I could run to here from the estate real easily.”

“I assume you did that a lot?”

“Guilty.” Karmel shrugged, leading Erik into the yard. He looped around the other graves he had looped around like a billion times at that point, by a small flowerpatch and over to a big grave with a pair of names and lifespans on them. “Well...This is what it looks like.” Karmel cleared his throat, letting go of Erik’s hand. He held the bouquet he had in both hands, lips forming a line as he bent down to place it in front of the headstone.

Ezra Rosenstein and Naomi Rosenstien.

Both born in the 1900′s, Naomi being a year younger then Ezra; strangely like how Karmel’s a year younger than Erik. They- obviously- died in the same year, 1945. A year after Erik’s mom died, meaning Karmel was 13 then.

Below their names, Erik mumbled what was written. “‘In loving memory of the most amazing parents, together forever.’”

Karmel sat down in front of his mom’s name, Erik quick to sit down beside him. The two sat in silence for a moment. “Y’know, uh, funny thing,” he piped up. “After they were buried, I would constantly come crawling back to their grave, right here. I’d sit right where we are now, and every time my uncle came to take me back home, I remember begging him not to take me away from them.” Karmel started to explain, eyes darting from dark cloud to dark cloud in the night sky.

Erik listened patiently.

“’Cause I didn’t wanna leave ‘em, y’know? Before you say anything, I was like, thirteen. Shit’s pretty reasonable, a grieving kid at that age to be stubborn ‘n’ unrealistic. I really fucking believed that after they died, I couldn’t be truly happy anymore. But, uh...” Karmel turned to look at Erik. “Guess that changed, huh?”

Erik looked back over at them, lips twitching into a slight smile.

“S-Sometimes, I’d, uh, end up falling asleep on this dirt. My uncle would be sitting on that bench over there ‘n’ watch me, and when I’d fall asleep, he’d come over, pick me up ‘n’ take me back home. Sometimes in the earlier days I threw fits over him not doing what I said, but, looking back...I’d have rather a soft bed than crusty dirt above surrounded by dead people, y’know?”

Erik chuckled. “I would, too.”

Karmel pointed at his bouquet. “My parents were florists, I told you that already. They taught me what was called ‘the language of flowers.’ Like, uh, what certain flowers mean, and what certain groups mean when you put ‘em in a bouquet. In mine, you- you can see carnations, chrysanthemums, some gladioli, and orchids. These are pretty popular funeral flowers, but were some of my parents’ favourite. Red ‘n’ pink Carnations mean, like, uh, deep admiration for the deceased, and- and a sentient of remembrance. The chrysanthemums represent a well-lived life, which both of my parents definitely had.”

“What does the gladiolus mean?”

“Glad you asked. Basically, they represent a person of high moral integrity and character. Again, my ‘rents were full of it. Orchids were my moms favourite; they mean stuff like eternal love, great admiration, ‘n’ respect. Remind me to get you some, sometime.” Karmel nudged Erik, who shook his head knowingly. He reached out a hand, and pat the brown earth he watched get shoveled over his parents’ caskets all those years ago.

Erik glanced over at him.

“Hey, Dad...Hey, Mom.” Karmel mumbled, soon to grow out of the awkwardness of talking to granite in front of Erik. “It’s been a while, I’m sorry. I’ve been, uh..busy.” He shrugged, finger tracing shapes into the grass. “T’make it up, I wore your favourite tie, Dad. And- And I brought your favourite flowers- I remember what they mean, too, did you hear that part?”

Obvious silence.

“Oh, um, this- this is Erik. He’s...He’s been helping me keep stable lately.” Karmel pointed his other hand over at Erik. “He’s pretty nice to me, I guess. Could be nicer.” He teased, chuckling and putting his hands up in surrender when Erik looked over at him in fake-offence. “Erik means a lot to me. I had always been scared that you two wouldn’t have liked that, but Dad, then I found out about...what was his name, uh, Virgil. You two looked cute together, but I can see why you chose Mom. And, Mom, I saw photos of you and all those friends you had that held hands behind their backs in photos. I’m not gonna lie, it would’ve been nice to have met them. They all looked like such fun people, but then I found out what happened to all of ‘em. A simple grave visit would’ve sufficed, guys.” Karmel rambled on.

Erik remembers running into a room in Karmel’s mansion and finding him on his knees, holding a photo book. The photos, he remembered, contained a younger version of Karmel’s dad, holding hands with a black-haired man. Then he also remembers photos of Karmel’s mom surrounded by her friends, pairs of them holding hands in the photographs. 

Karmel reached out to hold Erik’s hand, sniffing.

That was quicker than Erik thought. He gave Karmel’s hand a squeeze. “I’m right here, Karmel” Erik muttered warmly.

Karmel nodded sternly. “He makes me pretty happy...took me a while to come to terms with it, though, like, geez.” He exhaled through his mouth, tilting his head. “I’m glad I did, though. I thought I wouldn’t be this happy ever again, after you guys left me. But Erik...” Karmel looked at Erik once more, smiling softly.

Erik returned the tenderness by kissing Karmel’s knuckles.

Karmel giggled under his breath. “Erik gives me a sense of familiarity. Whatever you two had, I swear, we have something like it. But it’s not the same. Nothing could ever be the same as anything that has to do with you two. Even if I am wearing Dad’s ties.” He scoffed. Karmel inhaled shakily. “I miss you guys. I think of you two constantly, believe me. You don’t wanna know what I’ve done to try and do otherwise. I wish you guys could’ve lived a little longer, and see me graduate, get a job, ‘n’ fall- fall i-in love.” He stuttered, blinking rapidly.

Erik looked at the shine in Karmel’s eyes, the blond man looking down. He stroked Karmel’s hand with his thumb, reminding Karmel that he was right there if he needs him.

Karmel wiped his eyes with his free hand.”God fuck-” he mumbled weakly. Karmel closed his eyes, clenching his jaw. “Told m’self I wouldn’t cry in front of Erik, but fuck toxic masculinity, right, Dad?” He rhetorically asked. Karmel gulped thickly looking back up at the headstone. “I love Erik, a-and he wanted to come with me, to- to meet you. After everything that- that I told him, ‘bout you two, I couldn’t fucking blame him.” He forced a smile, eyebrows slightly furrowed. “I don’t...I don’t really know what else t’say.” Karmel hummed, rubbing the back of his neck. He leaned his head on Erik’s shoulder.

Erik pulled his hand away from Karmel’s, wrapping his arm around Karmel’s shoulders. “You doing alright, Kar?”

“Can we...go, now? Please?” Karmel whispered against Erik’s coat.

Erik nodded, helping Karmel up.

Karmel took a deep breath, bending over to pat the headstone. LBye, Mom, bye, Dad. We- We’ll be back soon, alright?” He raised his eyebrows, as if expectant for an answer.

Erik’s hand slid from Karmel’s shoulder to his back, rubbing it soothingly.

Karmel stood back up, looking at Erik with teary eyes. “We-We’ll come back soon, right?”

Erik cooed silently, cupping Karmel’s cheeks. He smiled lovingly, wiping Karmel’s tears with his thumbs. “We can come whenever you’d like, love. ‘Til the end of time.”

Karmel sniffled, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “Even then, you’ll still be mine.”

Erik nodded, taking Karmel’s hand in his own. The two took one last look at the grave, before he led Karmel back over to his car.